Yesterday I made forty 6″ string blocks, and I am in love with the colors. No, I can’t tell a difference in my string baskets. What is up with that? but I like to sew string blocks, and I always feel I’ve created something from nothing. I’m sashing them with Kona White, and using this nice gray and white Kaufman leaf print for the borders. This will make a throw size, 50″ x 74″.
Are you playing with fabric today?
I’m linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.
Well, yes, that is new fabric. 22 1/5 yards from eQuilter. I suppose it doesn’t reduce the yardage that most of it was on sale, does it? But it’s great stuff, and some of it is earmarked for a Christmas gift project. I did use 7 1/2 yards to finish the Blue and Orange donation quilt.
This week: +22.5 yards, -7.5 yards
YTD: +73 yards, -138 yards
Net stash used in 2013: 65 yards
How are you doing with your stash reduction? Sometimes you have to buy some to use some…
I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report on Patchwork Times.
I finished up the blue and orange donation quilt yesterday. I had a lot of fun quilting it with straight lines and feathers in orange thread (Superior Highlights, 40 wt.). The textured blue fabric was weird and stretchy to piece together, but not too bad to quilt with the walking foot. It has great cozy texture now that it’s washed up.
I have to admit that I like the back almost as much as I like the front. These are orphan blocks from a double nine patch that I had made, and some from this quilt, when I discovered that too many nine patches would make it too busy.
So much of the stash fabric I have and need to use is floral, and makes pretty feminine quilts. I try to switch off by making every other donation quilt out of something a little more appealing to anyone, including men. And, apparently, cats. Lots of help. This is headed to Moore, OK.
You could have knocked me over with one of my own feathers yesterday when I answered the phone and it was Judy Laquidera from Patchwork Times! I was sewing the binding to this quilt when she called. She called several of us who had donated quilts for West, TX, to see if we minded if she sent them on to Moore. They have all they need in West, and Judy knew of a truck with people she trusts going to Moore. I told her I was fine with that, so I guess my pink and gray quilt will go there, too.
Doesn’t it seem like there’s been a lot of need this year? I sorted some strings last night to start a new donation quilt for whatever comes next. Don’t even want to think about that.
What have you finished this week?
I’m linking up to Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.
On my design wall I have the orphan blocks and taupey fabric I to use to piece the back to the blue and orange donation quilt. I see one of the larger ones needs to be turned. Returning to this after time off makes it a little better, though backings are still not my favorite.
On Saturday I finished the aqua and gray HST baby quilt, and it makes me very happy. I really enjoyed doing the quilting on it.
The gray zigzags and the print feathers have an extra layer of batting under them for a gentle trapunto effect.
The back is gray, white, and yellow. The gray and yellow look brown in photos, but in person it’s a good match to the front.
This quilt is 36″ x 42″, my favorite baby size, made from 168 3″ blocks.
I’m linking up to Design Wall Monday on Patchwork Times.
I’m working today on this baby quilt using a very intense print that appears as a textured hand-dye. The other fabrics are a gray with white dots and a white with gray dots. I’m definitely still turning the blocks to decide where the “spikes” of color should go. This will get diagonal straight line quilting. Then I’m binding it with the bright print.
Are you playing with fabric today?
I’m linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.
I got on board with this late, but I decided to send a flag to Boston for the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild’s initiative, To Boston With Love. I don’t belong to a guild, and their project was aimed mainly at guilds sending in bunches of these flags, but individuals can participate. I didn’t really understand the concept when it first came around, but now I think it will be a spectacular sight, and I’d like to contribute. I really wish I had gotten in gear earlier, because I would have coordinated a group effort from our “Twilter” group of quilters on Twitter, and sent those in as a group. Anyway.
Yes, that’s a reject piece from my fabric bleaching. I don’t have it arranged correctly yet, but I think it will make a fine background for my rainbow heart. And, yes, that’s a strip of orange “Fairy Frost” in there. You can’t get more cheerful than that. This will only take me a few minutes when I sit down and get serious about it. Lots of color for a little time.
I’m linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.
Lots of fabric pulled out, piled up, and all over the design wall, but only one small finish this week. That’s okay. My numbers are good. I’m especially pleased to be finding uses for some long-time Stash Dogs. Those “what was I thinking?” pieces, or fabrics that are pretty/striking/interesting by themselves, but don’t go with anything else. Or that looked different online. Making some progress on those. I find that if I leave them out, or at least at the top of their baskets, then they are more likely to occur to me when I need something.
Dog!
This week: +0 yards, -3.5 yards
YTD: +50.5 yards, -123.5 yards
Net Stash Used in 2013: -73 yards
How about you? Are you using it up to make way for new, pretty fabric?
Cat!
I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.
Where did April go? I don’t know, but I did plug away at my goals and I met them! I do think part of my problem is that I am not as lazy (well…) as I am forgetful. And distractable. I just don’t notice that things aren’t done until someone visits my house… or shows their project that I meant to do. So having four goals that I can keep on my brain is really helping, and I do feel satisfied marking them off.
One slight problem is that I liked the primary (Elephant) baby quilt so well that I saved it to give as a gift for an anticipated great-nephew. It isn’t really a problem, but I do have to put it back on my list if I want one for the shop. And I was so inspired that I made a coordinating quilt for the great-niece, so that’s all done. Early!
April Goals
1. Make 4-5 spring wall hangings for Etsy shop
2. Quilt and bind queen bed quilt
3. Make floral baby quilt
4. Make primary baby quilt
May Goals
1. Finish Project Hope Online Quilt Show art quilt.
2. Make a pair of pillow cases to coordinate with new queen quilt
3. Primary baby quilt (yeah, I know, again!)
4. Scrap donation quilt.
How are you doing on your goals? It’s hard with spring here, but sew when you can!
I’m linking up with Getting it Done on Patchwork Times. It’s not too late to jump in and join us!
Yes! Finishing a queen size quilt will really take it out of the old stash! To the tune of 19 yards! If you haven’t seen Nicey Jane, here she is.
This week: +0 yards, -19 yards
YTD: +50.5 yards, -120 yards
Net stash used in 2013: -69.5 yards!
How are you doing with your destashing? Keep plugging, the year is young!
I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.
Well, it was all buy this week and no use. I was feeling a distinct lack of solids and neutrals, and my DH and I found the perfect day to make a trip to The Fabric Shack. I know that those of you around the world who buy from them because of their low-cost shipping are jealous that I am close enough (forty-five minutes) to visit there. It is a great store to visit. The stuff just goes on and on. However, they have more in their online store than they can fit in the brick and mortar place. Kona solids, for instance, are never completely represented when I go there. Their warehouse is in town, and if they’re not busy (ha!), and you can wait long enough, they might bring over the bolt you need, but sometimes it is just easier to order. Still, we had a very pleasant spring trip, and I found the floral on a good sale.
I’ve been sewing all week (when I wasn’t fabric shopping), but I only succeeded in quilting half of my queen sized Nicey Jane quilt, so nothing to count as used. Maybe next week?
If you like numbers, notice that I’ve used exactly twice as much as I’ve purchased this year. So if I buy another hundred yards… No, I guess not. As you can see, my stash is already out of hand.
This week: +12.75 yards, -0 yards
YTD: +50.5 yards, -101 yards
Net stash used in 2013: 50.5 yards
How are you doing on your destashing?
I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.
Evening in the Garden Quilts 